NEXT MAN UP?

• James Franklin, Vanderbilt. The Pennsylvania native played at Division II East Stroudsburg and began his coaching career at Kutztown. He has gone 23-15 at Vanderbilt, taking the perennial SEC doormat to three straight bowl games.

• Al Golden, Miami. Played and coached for Joe Paterno at Penn State and won at Temple before getting hired by Miami. Has guided the Hurricanes through NCAA sanctions and has a 22-15 record in three seasons.

• Mike Munchak, Tennessee Titans. The 53-year-old former Penn State offensive lineman played for Paterno in the late 1970s and early ’80s. He is 22-26 after three seasons with Tennessee, and might not be back for next season.

• Pat Narduzzi, Michigan State defensive coordinator. Has been a key cog in Mark Dantonio’s staff as Michigan State has become a perennial Big Ten contender. It seems only a matter of time before he is running his own program.

• Greg Roman, offensive coordinator, San Francisco 49ers. One of the most highly regarded offensive coaches and was a candidate for the Penn State job when O’Brien got it. He’s mostly been in the NFL, though he spent two years at Stanford under Jim Harbaugh.

• Greg Schiano, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach. A former Penn State assistant under Paterno and the former head coach at Rutgers. Was fired by Tampa Bay after going 11-21 in two seasons, but his rebuilding job at Rutgers is one of the most impressive accomplishments by a college coach in recent history.